Dragona

By Mary Elizabeth Ames

Dragons are among the earliest mammals to appear on Earth. They arose during the late Cretaceous Period. Over time, they settled into different environments, which led to the development of different dragon species. Dragona

• Language: English
• Publisher: Koehler Books
• Release date: Aug 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888240649

Mary Elizabeth Ames

Mary Elizabeth Ames is an author. Her previous novels in the Homo transformans series include Homo transformans: The Origin and Nature of the Species; H'Ilgraith, a silver medalist in the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards and gold medalist in the Feathered Quill Awards; and Raephela.Ms. Ames has a master of science degree in biology. She incorporates the science of biology and genetics into her narratives to imbue them with a sense of realism and to provide an understanding of how genes function.

Book preview

PRAISE FOR

D

RAGONA

Mary Elizabeth Ames masterfully describes her fictional dragon species and subspecies in vivid paleontological, zoological, and ethological detail. These descriptions, together with exceptional graphics and heartwarming short stories, make dragons come alive in the imagination.

—Cheryl Romanek, Former Managing Editor of Creative Services at J. D. Edwards

A wonderful description of all dragon species. . . . [T]hese wonderful creatures [are] described in such great detail with so much scientific support . . . they become very alive. [The author has] written a most compelling case for their existence!

—Joni Fritz, Reader

"In Mary Elizabeth Ames’s recent book, the author provides the reader with a compelling overview of the different types of dragons that inhabited the world of Homo transformans. The past transformans stories compel the reader to want to know details about the diversity and complexity of these magnificent creatures. In detail, the author describes parental care, survival skills, and the aloof but cooperative interactions between species. In many respects, she provides some insight into diversity and the need for cooperation that are so challenging for our times."

—Catharine A. Kopac, PhD, DMin, GNP

As I read Mary Elizabeth Ames’s new book, I found myself starting to believe that dragons might really have [existed] or do exist. The author offered such detailed descriptions of the physical and social characteristics of dragons that a sense of connectiveness was established between the world of dragons and myself. . . . The book is a wonderful enhancement for the series of dragon books created by the author.

—S. A. Jarecki, PhD

The book is written clearly and flows very well. It is wonderfully comprehensive and detailed about dragons. [The] descriptions and explanations are [so] authentic that you may have children believing they now exist. Many times, I had to even remind myself that they aren’t real.

—Shelli Mayer, Reader

I really enjoyed Dragona! A precise scientific and concise literary description of . . . dragons.

—Tacey Battley, Reader

Dragona

by Mary Elizabeth Ames

© Copyright 2023 Mary Elizabeth Ames

ISBN 979-8-88824-064-9

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. The characters are both actual and fictitious. With the exception of verified historical events and persons, all incidents, descriptions, dialogue and opinions expressed are the products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Published by

3705 Shore Drive

Virginia Beach, VA 23455

800–435–4811

www.koehlerbooks.com

logo1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

PROLOGUE

PRELUDE: T

HERE

B

E

D

RAGONS

PART I: T

HE

R

ISE OF

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 1: O

F

D

INOSAURS AND

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 2: D

RAGON

E

VOLUTION

PART II: F

ORM AND

F

UNCTION

CHAPTER 3: T

O

A

LL

A

PPEARANCES

CHAPTER 4: F

IRE AND

F

LIGHT

CHAPTER 5: A Q

UARRY’S

S

CENT

CHAPTER 6: D

ECISION

-M

AKING

CHAPTER 7: T

HE

P

ASSING OF A

P

ATRIARCH

PART III: H

EARTH AND

H

OME

CHAPTER 8: T

ERRITORIES

CHAPTER 9: H

UNTING

CHAPTER 10: R

EPRODUCTION

CHAPTER 11: R

AISING

O

FFSPRING

PART IV: T

HERE

B

E

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 12: M

ONTANE

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 13: F

RESHWATER

A

QUATIC

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 14: A

RBOREAL

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 15: S

UBTERRANEAN

C

AVE- AND

C

AVERN

-D

WELLING

D

RAGONS

CHAPTER 16: M

ARINE AND

B

RACKISH

-W

ATER

D

RAGONS

EPILOGUE: U

NEXPECTED

E

NCOUNTERS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

GLOSSARY

REFERENCES

PREFACE

Dragons and their interactions with humans are integral to the story of a rare species of human that can transform into another species of animal—reversibly and at will—if they have the genes to do so. Throughout the stories of Homo Transformans, dragons exert a significant influence on human affairs, including the outcomes of human conflicts.

For those who are intrigued by dragons—especially fire dragons—Dragona provides an in-depth review of the natural history of dragon species found in Homo Transformans: The Origin and Nature of the Species, H’Ilgraith, and Raephela. This handbook builds on and expands the descriptions provided in these novels. It also presents new species not previously encountered and further elucidates the evolution, differentiation, and migration of dragons, which supports their different characteristics.

From a taxonomist’s perspective, dragon species are organized into different classifications based on their genetics, morphology, and where they fit into the evolution of animals (table 1). In this schema, dragons are depicted as mammals. Hence, the taxonomy of dragons begins with the subclass Monotremata, followed by the superfamily Dragonidae—an ancient branch of Monotremata that evolved around ninety-five to seventy-five million years ago—and finally focuses on the subfamily Dragona ignis aflatu—fire dragons.

From a naturalist’s perspective, dragon species are distinguished by their physical characteristics (e.g., size, coloring, capabilities, etc.), and characterized by social behaviors (e.g., hierarchy, communication, parenting, etc.), defenses (e.g., camouflage, combat tactics, dragon fire), predator/prey relationships, and their subsequent interactions with another animal species—humans.

Table 1: Taxonomy of Dragona

Short stories and vignettes thread through the narrative. They provide examples of dragon characteristics and behaviors, including interactions with humans. The graphic artists of EpicMade produced the illustrations that depict the various species found in Dragona.

Although the author has attempted to make the content regarding general mammalian biology accurate, any reference to fire-breathing dragons is pure fantasy. Even though biology supports the existence of dragons, to date no animal species has demonstrated the physiologic capability to generate fire. The author has chosen to use the National Library of Medicine citations throughout the book.

Supplemental Notes and Citations

Continental Fragmentation and Separation

During the Mesozoic era, approximately 242‒266 million years ago, the supercontinent Pangaea broke up (Vavrek, 2016). By the mid‒Cretaceous period, approximately 100 million years ago, the Gondwanaland province of Pangaea had split into five separate continents (Veevers, 2004). The separation and fragmentation of the continents led to increased biodiversity, as different species evolved and adapted to their environment.

Mammalian Subclasses

There are three subclasses of mammals. The subclass Prototheria (monotremes) is almost extinct (Jones and Safi, 2011). Monotremes are the oldest species of mammals. They evolved approximately 220‒110 million years ago on the supercontinent once known as Pangaea. In reality, only five living species of monotremes remain: one is the duck-bill platypus (Australia), family Ornithorhynchidae, and four are the echidna (New Zealand), family Tachyglossidae.

Mammals further diverged into the subclass Metatheria (marsupials, e.g., kangaroos, koalas) and subsequently into the subclass Eutheria (placentals, all other mammals).

Reptilia

Although labeled dragons, the iguana, the bearded dragon, and the Komodo dragon fall under the class Reptilia and are identified as lizards. The iguana falls under the family Iguanidae. The bearded dragon falls under the family Agamidae. The Komodo dragon is a member of the Varanidae family.

PROLOGUE

A Wolf-Rayet star, not astronomically far from Earth’s backyard, exploded into a massive supernova—Stella Ignis—releasing a gamma ray burst that struck Earth. It was a near-extinction-level event. People were driven deep underground, taking with them as many animals and plants and as much technology as they could. Over the next 150 years, human civilization eked out an existence before people dared to emerge above ground.

Meanwhile, a few species of animals—including tardigrades and dragons—were radiation resistant. They had the innate ability to repair genes damaged by radiation. Other species of animals—including humans—that escaped into caves, caverns, deep-water rivers, and oceans survived the gamma ray burst. Still, many that survived the initial blast eventually died from lingering exposure. Yet, not all were lost. Of those that survived, subsequent generations repopulated the land. In the interim, land-based dragons descended from their mountain retreats and resumed roaming Earth as they and the dinosaurs once had.

Prior to Stella Ignis, people believed that dragons existed only in mythology. Paleontologists also dismissed the notion that dragons ever existed. There was fossil evidence for dinosaurs, whereas there was none for dragons. When a dragon died, its kinsmen destroyed the body with dragon fire so intense that not even ashes remained.

Furthermore, dragons inhabited relatively extreme environments: high mountain ranges, ocean depths, deep rivers, and subterranean cavern systems. Over thousands of years, their physique had adapted, giving them the ability to blend into their respective environments. Thus, dragon sightings had been extremely rare. When they occurred, people dismissed them as a refraction of sunlight, an unidentified flying object, a figment of imagination, or a hallucination. Post Stella Ignis, as humans emerged and resumed occupying the Earth’s surface, dragon sightings occurred with much greater frequency and clarity.

Supplemental Notes and Citations

Genes and DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the building block of genetic material (figure 1). Genes comprise segments of DNA, which ultimately drive the structure and function of living organisms.

Figure 1: Genes and DNA

DNA Repair

Endonucleases are enzymes that can target and excise specific genes (DNA sequences). Other DNA enzymes (e.g., DNA polymerase) can repair damaged DNA (Ishino and Ishino, 2014). They are used in biogenetics applications to edit genes (Paul and Montoya, 2020).

Tardigrades

Tardigrades are small aquatic animals that are highly resistant to gamma rays and other environmental stresses as a result of robust DNA repair mechanisms (Jönsson, 2019).

PRELUDE

T

HERE

B

E

D

RAGONS

When looking for a secure place to establish a community, H. transformans scouts would become their alternate species to investigate the land. One such scout was a young man who, as a coyote, headed south to explore the southern territory well beyond any areas inhabited by humans. After traveling without seeing any signs of other people